Quick hits: $725 million released to clean up old coal mines; National FFA Week is Feb. 19-26

Here's a roundup of stories with rural resonance; if you do or see similar work that should be shared on The Rural Blog, email us at heather.chapman@uky.edu.

The Society of Environmental Journalists is accepting submissions for the SEJ 2022 Awards through March 1. Read more here.

The Interior Department announced the release of nearly $725 million in funding to clean up abandoned coal mines. It's the first tranche of $11.3 billion promised in the infrastructure bill to be disbursed over the next 15 years. Read more here.

The National FFA Organization, called the Future Farmers of America until 1988, will celebrate its seventh annual National FFA Week from Feb. 19-26. Read more here.

A Maine dairy farm's struggles to produce its signature chocolate milk illustrate the complexities of the supply-chain issues facing farmers and others. Read more here.

Unharvested crops dramatically increase the amount of food wasted in agriculture; some farmers are trying to find solutions. Read more here.